That First Train Ride
by RavenBlackwing
Summary: James Potter's first trip on the Hogwarts Express


 The combined sound of the rain pummeling the roof of the station and the rolling thunder meant that everyone on platform nine and three quarters had to shout their farewells.  It was a terrible din, with owls screeching and witches and wizards yelling fond farewell.  It was so loud in fact, that the all aboard whistle was barely heard above the racket.  James Potter had hugged his Mother and Father goodbye and was now struggling to hoist his trunk onboard the train.  It was slippery though, wet from the rain and the handle slipped from his hands.

"Ouch!" cried a boy just behind him, who was also trying to heave a trunk up from the platform. James trunk had landed with a loud 'thunk' on the other boy's foot.

"Watch it there!" cried the other boy, wincing as he pulled his foot out from under the trunk.

"Sorry," James said, feeling himself go slightly red.  He had barely arrived and already he had dropped a trunk on someone's foot.  What a way to make friends!  "The handle's wet.  It slipped."

The boy was now balancing precariously on one foot, rubbing the one that had just been smashed by the trunk.

"That's ok, I've had worse, really.  You know if you put a drying charm on it, it wouldn't be so slippery," he said testing his weight on his injured foot again. 

James rolled his eyes.

"I know, but my dad won't do anything to it, won't let me try either.  He's against using magic for simple conveniences.  He says doing it the muggle way builds character." James shrugged, but the other boy's face broke into an unexpected grin.

"Maybe your dad won't let _you_ do anything to it, but I'll bet he never said anything about anyone else charming your luggage." He had his wand out already and a twinkle in his eye, but James wasn't so sure.

"I don't know, he's right out there on the platform, and besides what do you know about drying charms?"

But the boy wasn't listening.

"_aridamus_!" he cried aiming his wand squarely at the offending trunk.  Immediately it began to shiver.   James watched, impressed, as the droplets quivered on the black leather surface, then leapt off suddenly in every direction.  When the last drop had sprung away his trunk was quite dry.  He, on the other hand, was quite the opposite.  It seemed that as the water leapt of his trunk, very much of it had landed on him.  He looked up at the boy, who was just as wet.  They stared at each other for a moment then broke into a fit of laughter. 

"I don't see what's so funny," muttered someone behind them. "Other people are trying to get on the train."

"Not bad for never having been to Wizarding School," laughed James wiping the water off his face.  The other boy shrugged it off.

"Eh, maybe my Dad gave me a few pointers before I left.  Here," he said taking the other end of James trunk.  He left his propped in the stair, where it was still blocking the way.  They could hear shouts and groans from behind it on the platform.  "I'll help you carry yours, and then you can help me with mine."

"Now why didn't I think of that?" said James.

"Too busy worrying about not dropping the sopping thing I suspect," replied the other boy. Together they struggled down the corridor and soon had both trunks tucked away in a rear compartment.

"Be right back," said the boy.  He ran out of the train.  Presumably, James guessed, to say a final farewell to his family.  James leaned out his compartment window and called to his parents.  His mother ran up to him and stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek.

"Now remember, listen to your teachers and no getting in trouble. Why are you all wet?"

"It's nothing Mum.  I'll be good. Promise." James wiped his glasses on his shirtsleeve, his father beamed at him from the platform.

"Make me proud son," he shouted above the din.

James just grinned at him as the final whistle sounded, though he didn't feel as confident as he was trying to look.  He knew that it would take more than your average level of wizardry to make his father, John Potter, proud.  Oh he knew his father would love him no matter how or what he did, but he also knew that his father had great expectations of him, and James didn't know if he was ready to live up to those expectations.

The train gave a lurch and pulled away from the station.  He ducked back inside the window and closed it, as it was still raining.  A moment later the boy he had dropped his trunk on returned, completely dry, James suspected he had used his _aridamus_ charm again, and plopped down across from him.  He was skinny for his age, and had black hair just like James, though his was a little longer and certainly better tamed.

"Er," said James. "I'm James Potter, what's your name?"

The boy gave a start.

"You mean I didn't introduce myself? Terribly sorry, must've slipped my mind when you dropped your trunk on me."  He winked.  "Sirius Black s'my name," he said offering his had, which James shook, he was starting to like this Sirius Black.  "Smashing to meet you, James Potter.  Literally."

"Is it your first year at Hogwarts too?" James asked. Sirius nodded grinning broadly.

"Yup, got the letter a week before my birthday."

"My Dad wouldn't stop talking about _his_ school days.  He was head boy apparently, told me so about eighteen hundred times."

"Pretty big shoes to fill huh?"

James nodded.  There was a knock on the door both boys looked as the timid face of another boy peeked inside.

"Is there any room in here?"  the round faced boy asked.  "There's a fifth year down the car who-"  He glanced down the corridor nervously. "Look, can I sit with you guys?" The new boy was very short, and had a round face with small watery eyes and a pointed nose, but he looked so terrified that James moved over to make space for him in the compartment.   The new boy sat down gratefully, but before he could express his thanks another larger boy came bursting through the compartment door.  He was about a head taller than either Sirius or James and looked fairly steamed over something.

"Where's the ruddy pipsqueak? He ripped my robes he did! Oh there you are," he said noticing the round-faced boy and advancing menacingly. "Thought you could hide from Ebone McNair?   Well I've got news for you.   No one steps on my foot and tears my robes and gets away with it." The boy with the watery eyes was cowering and whimpering.

"I didn't mean to…" he squeaked between his arms which were up shielding his face.  "It was an accident, Harpo was acting up and I tripped and…I'm sorry… so sorry, please don't hurt me."

James was disgusted, the larger boy was actually grinning at this display.  Without thinking about what he was doing, or how tall this older boy was, he jumped up from his seat and pulled out his wand.

"Leave him alone!" he heard a voice say.  It was a moment before James realized that the voice was his own.  "He said it was an accident and that he's sorry."  James was looking up at the burly boy who called himself McNair and beginning to feel a little stupid for acting so rashly when another voice came from right next to him.

"Yeah, what're you doing barging into our compartment anyway.  We didn't ask you to come in here and cause trouble!"   It was Sirius right beside him, wand drawn and all.   Despite the fact that this McNair boy was bigger than both of them, and certainly looked meaner, James couldn't help but feel slightly braver now that he had an ally.

McNair looked from one to the other cracking his knuckles.

"Ooh, are the ikkle firsties going to get me with their big bad spells. Bet you don't even know how to use a wand properly," he sneered, but didn't make a move.  James noticed that he didn't draw his wand, he had probably left it behind in his haste to catch up with the boy who was still sniveling in the corner.  The three of them stood off like that for what seemed like a very long time, when the compartment door slid open and a plump, kind face witch smiled in at them.

"Anything off the carts?" she asked. Her voice was pleasant enough, but she was eyeing the three of them suspiciously.

McNair grumbled something that passed for "no" and slouched out of the compartment.  The witch turned to the remaining boys.

"And you dears?"

Sirius bought some chocolate frogs and a bag of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans.  James got some chocolate frogs as well, in addition to fizzing wizzbees and a couple pumpkin pasties. When the witch continued down the corridor they settled back into their seats with the bounty. The short plump boy looked sadly at the piles of colorful sweets.

"I left my money in my trunk," he moaned.

James handed him one of his chocolate frogs and a pastie.

"Here" he said through a mouthful of chocolate. "I don't think I'll need all of these."

The boy's round face lit up.

"Really? Gee, thanks. And thanks for getting rid of that bully."

"No problem," said Sirius clapping him on the back before popping an every flavor bean into his mouth.  He pulled a face and spit it out.  "Ugh," he said cracking the window and throwing it out. "Sardine!"

"What's your name anyway?" James asked.

"Peter, Peter Pettigrew."

"Well Peter, be careful where you step from now on.  We can't always be there to save your-Bleagh!"  Sirius spit another bean into his hand.  "Dirt! What rotten luck! Anyway, I'm Sirius Black, and this here is James Potter."

"Peter," said James, "you said Harpo was acting up. Who's Harpo?"

"Oh him," said Peter reaching into his robes and pulling out a grey furry lump. "He's my rat." He held him out for them to see.  Indeed there on his upturned palms was a very fat grey rat, asleep.  "I think he's a little worn out, he didn't like the train whistles and he was squirming everywhere."

"Blimey Peter! What've you been feeding him? He's huge!" cried Sirius, who had abandoned his bag of every flavor beans.

"Well, I don't know, I give him bits of my dinner," Peter said looking worriedly at his rat. "Do you think he's getting too fat?"

Sirius snorted, and Peter looked even more concerned.

"Don't worry," James said exchanging a look with Sirius. "I'm sure he's just big boned."

The three boys continued chatting in this manner as the Hogwarts Expressed steamed through the rainy countryside.  After a vomit flavored one, Sirius gave up on his every flavor beans and gave them to Peter, who gratefully bit into one that turned out to be soap.

When the train finally ground to a halt the three of them got off the train onto the platform.   It was still raining quite hard, and the thunder was even louder now that they were outside. Student's owls were screeching unhappily as the rain poured through their cages, making the platform was even louder than it had been at King's Cross.

The three boys stood as close to one another as possible.  No one had given them instructions for what they were supposed to do with themselves when they got off the train.

"Firs' years!" Boomed a gravely voice over the thunder and screeching.   
"Firs' years over here!" James squinted through the driving rain to see a huge black form looming over the crowd.  As they neared it they saw it was an enormous wild looking man.

"All the firs' years 'ere then? Follow me! Firs' years this way!"

Mutely they followed him into the driving rain.

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*Stay tuned to find out how Remus fits into the picture.  No I most definitely didn't forget him.  He's just a little shyer than the other three.

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End file.
